Snowflakes
by xandromedax
Summary: While at the Dursleys', Harry gets Christmas cheer from an unexpected source...please R&R!


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

A/N Harry at the Dursleys' for Christmas…just a oneshot

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The white snowflakes drifted past the window, piling up on the windowsill under the emerald gaze of the small black haired boy. He was out of his cupboard after a long imprisonment after turning his teacher's wig blue. He couldn't understand how he had done it. He had wondered what his teacher would look like with different hair, perhaps blue, and suddenly his teacher's hair was a shocking hue of bright turquoise. This had resulted in his usual punishment for actions he couldn't explain-his aunt and uncle yelling at him, Dudley making faces at him behind his mother's back, and then his uncle throwing him into his cupboard. He winced, remembering. But now that he was out of his cupboard, he was determined to enjoy himself before his next confinement.

He blew his breath out on the window and giggled in delight as the window fogged up. He breathed out again, on a different part of the window, trying to fog up the whole window.

"Boy! Stop doing that or I'll put you in your cupboard!" His aunt snapped from the opposite side of the room where she was collecting the discarded wrapping paper from the dozens of presents Dudley had received.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry replied dully, then turned his attention back to the window. He squeakily wiped a patch clean on the window, and watched as the snowflakes swirled and danced as they fell from the white expanse of the sky. He had learned in school that no snowflake was like any other. Just like no one in the world had the same fingerprints…everyone was unique. He glanced down at his hands, glad to think that there was something that made him special.

A yell from the other room shattered the peaceful stillness of the morning.

"Mummy! Mummy! Harry touched my new bike! It was standing up in the hallway next to the door, and now its on the floor! _Mummy!_ He _ruined_ it!" Dudley howled as he waddled into the room.

"Boy! What have I told you about not touching Dudley's things? That's it, boy, go outside!" Aunt Petunia screeched, turning furious eyes on Harry. Harry tried to explain, it hadn't been him, he had seen Uncle Vernon put the bike on the floor because it was blocking the hallway…But as usual, Aunt Petunia would have none of his explanations. She didn't trust him.

Harry found himself outside, shivering in the cold. The snow that had looked so fascinating from the cozy sitting room was not so wonderful now. He crunched his way down the driveway, craning his neck to see the groups of carolers moving from house to house singing Christmas carols. He closed his eyes and listened to their voices for a moment. When he opened them, the carolers were much closer, in fact they were only one house away! He nervously began backing away, toward his house. He didn't know what to say to them, but perhaps he should warn them that his aunt and uncle didn't take kindly to strangers?

Before his could make up his mind, the carolers were right in front of him.

"Hello, little boy. What's your name?" a woman with a kind face asked.

"Ha-Harry," Harry stammered. No one had ever talked to him so politely.

"But what are you doing outside, without a coat, in this cold?" She continued, shaking her head. There were murmurs from the rest of the carolers.

"My aunt sent me out here," Harry muttered, staring at his feet.

"Your aunt? What happened to your parents?" asked another caroler.

"They died in a car accident when I was a baby," Harry said, reciting the only thing his aunt and uncle had made sure he knew.

"Oh, you poor child," she murmured. "But surely your aunt wouldn't leave you outside in the cold like this?"

"They don't like me," Harry said, still examining his feet. There were sounds of disapproval from all around him.

"Well, dear, perhaps we can sing for you then? As a special gift." The first woman offered, smiling.

"Okay," Harry said, and listened to the beautiful sounds of the carols.

Silent Night, Holy Night…

When they were finished, the carolers said goodbye to him, and wished him a Merry Christmas. One of them, however, didn't move.

"Here's something to warm you up, Harry," he said smiling. He took a long wooden stick out his pocket, as Harry watched curiously. Suddenly, Harry was as warm and dry as if he had been sitting in front of a roaring fire.

"Wow! How did you do that-"

The man shushed him. "All in good time," he said, still smiling. "Now, Harry, do you want a present?" Harry nodded, staring wide-eyed at this mysterious stranger. The man turned around, and then, an instant later, held out a red and gold wrapped box to Harry.

Harry peered behind the man, trying to see where the present had come from, but all he could see was dazzling white snow. But wait, hadn't there been a small rock there a minute before…?

"You should run inside now, Harry," The man said. "I'll unlock the door and let you in, alright?" Harry nodded, clutching his present.

The man went to the front door and tapped it with the stick. There was a soft _click_, and then the door swung open.

Harry didn't go in immediately, but stayed on the doorstep, staring at the man. "What's your-" he began, but before he could finish, he was inside the house and the door was tightly shut.

Still puzzling over the mystery of this man, Harry hurried to his cupboard before his aunt or uncle could see that he had a present. He had scarcely deposited it on his thin mattress when the shrill voice of his aunt called him for yet another chore. But Harry didn't mind, as he struggled to wash a large pile of dirty dishes, for he had a pleasant surprise waiting for him, making him feel warm and cared about for the first time.

Sitting in the dark cupboard later, unwrapping his first ever present, Harry felt that there was some good in the world after all.

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A/N What do you think? Harry finally gets some Christmas cheer : ) Well now you know what to do…click that button at the bottom of the page, that gives me a present….

**-**xandromedax xoxo


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